5 reasons why Dustin Poirier is the best lightweight in the world at the moment
On July 10th, Dustin Poirier gained the second straight win in his three-fight rivalry against 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor.
The win wasn't entirely satisfying since the Irishman broke his lower tibia in the dying seconds of the first round. Referee Herb Dean called a stop to the contest between rounds one and two, declaring Poirier the winner by TKO via doctor's stoppage.
Regardless of the finish, 'Diamond' asserted his dominance over the Irish superstar in the lead up to the injury and once again showed that he was the better fight. All three judges scored the first round for Dustin Poirier, with two judges deeming his performance worthy of a 10-8.
Since his first fight against Conor McGregor back in 2014, Dustin Poirier has won some spectacular bouts against elite competition.
On that note, we take a look at five reasons why Dustin Poirier should be considered the best lightweight in the world today.
#5. Dustin Poirier has scratched his way to the top
In a perfect world for ratings and recognition, Conor McGregor would have defeated Dustin Poirier in either one of his fights with the Louisiana native.
Instead, reality showed us who the better man is. Despite Dustin Poirier putting up spectacular performances after another, 'The Diamond' hasn't received his fair share of acclaim and stardom.
His 2014 loss to McGregor was the last time Poirier competed in the featherweight division. He moved up to 155 lbs but hit a setback in 2016, losing to Michael Johnson after going on a four-fight win streak.
'The Diamond' regrouped himself and went on a five-fight win streak, only to lose to Khabib Nurmagomedov, one of the greatest lightweights of all time, in 2019.
Since his loss against 'The Eagle,' Poirier is now on a three-fight win streak, with two coming against fierce rival Conor McGregor.
Despite several setbacks in his UFC career, Dustin Poirier has endured. The American Top Team product has always found his way back to the top. He will now get a title shot against current lightweight champion Charles Oliveira, giving Poirier the chance to make his status as the best lightweight in the world official.
Also read: 3 reasons why Dustin Poirier is a better fighter than Conor McGregor